These Slow Cooker Asian Meatballs are sweet, savory, and covered in a seriously addictive sauce made with hoisin, soy sauce, honey, and garlic, with a little chili garlic sauce for just a hint of heat.
The sauce cooks down into a thick, sticky glaze that clings to every meatball, and it's the part everyone goes back for. Frozen meatballs keep the prep to just a few minutes, and the slow cooker handles everything else.
Once you try them, you'll want to make them for every party on your calendar!
I just can't get enough of these Asian meatballs! They're my favorite thing to make on game day. I usually start them a couple of hours before kickoff so they're hot and sticky by the time everyone's settled in. I make them for parties any chance I get, too, because they take me about five minutes to throw together and I never bring any home.
If you love my classic grape jelly meatballs, you're going to love these. They're the same easy idea with an Asian twist. If you can't get enough of Asian flavors from the slow cooker either, my Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef and Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken are two more I make on repeat.
Ingredients for Sticky Sesame Meatballs
The one ingredient I'm picky about in this recipe is the meatballs. Italian seasoned meatballs have oregano and basil in them, and those just don't taste right with this sauce. I always grab a bag of plain homestyle or pork meatballs. Plain frozen turkey or chicken meatballs work great too if that's what you like.
You'll usually find hoisin sauce in the international aisle near the soy sauce. Chili garlic sauce tends to be right next to the sriracha, and sriracha works in its place if your store doesn't have it. I like the little bit of heat it gives, but you can skip it completely for mild meatballs or add an extra spoonful if you like things spicy.
I love to use toasted sesame oil because it's darker and has so much more flavor than the plain kind. It can go rancid if it sits somewhere warm, though, so make sure you're storing it in a cool cabinet or in the fridge once it's open.
Pineapple is a fun addition if you want to stretch the recipe a little. Just stir a drained can of pineapple chunks in with the cornstarch mixture at the end so it has time to warm through.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Slow Cooker Asian Meatballs
Step 1
Add the frozen meatballs - Dump the meatballs straight from the bag into a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. They're already fully cooked, so you don't need to thaw them.
Step 2
Whisk up the sauce - Grab a bowl and whisk together the hoisin, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, chili garlic sauce, and brown sugar until the honey and sugar are fully blended.
Step 3
Coat the meatballs - Pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently stir so they're fully coated. Pop the lid on and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or on HIGH for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours. If you're home, stir once or twice so the meatballs on top get their share of the sauce.
Step 4
Thicken the sauce - About 20 minutes before you want to eat, stir the cornstarch and water together until smooth, then stir it into the slow cooker. Put the lid back on and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Top with sesame seeds and serve.
How to Serve
For a party, I just leave the meatballs in the slow cooker and set a cup of toothpicks and a stack of small plates right next to it. People always seem to find them fast.
Honestly, though, my favorite way to eat these is as an Asian meatball bowl for dinner. I start with a big scoop of jasmine rice, add meatballs with lots of extra sauce, and fill in the rest of the bowl with steamed broccoli, shelled edamame, shredded carrots, and sliced cucumber. Then drizzle sriracha mayo over the whole thing for the easiest, most delicious dinner ever.
Equipment
I use a 6-quart slow cooker for these. In anything smaller, the meatballs end up piled really deep, so the bottom ones sit in the sauce while the top ones barely get any. If you only have a smaller cooker, plan on stirring more often.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover meatballs and sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. The sauce gets a bit thick when it cools, so I reheat it in a covered dish in the microwave or in a pan over low heat with a splash of water to loosen it back up.
Expert Tips
- For extra-sticky sauce, remove the lid and turn the slow cooker to HIGH for the last 15 to 20 minutes after adding the cornstarch mixture.
- I always taste the sauce before it goes over the meatballs. It's the easiest time to add a little more honey if you like it sweeter or a splash of rice vinegar for more tang.
- At a party, the garnish sinks into the sauce over time. I like to set a little bowl of extra green onions and sesame seeds next to the slow cooker so everyone can top their own.
FAQ
Once the sauce is thick, switch the slow cooker to WARM. They'll keep for a couple of hours, and a stir every now and then keeps the sauce from getting too thick around the edges.
Sure! Cook them all the way through, including thickening the sauce, then let them cool and refrigerate. When you're ready, reheat them in the slow cooker on LOW until they're hot all the way through, stirring once or twice.
Make sure the slow cooker is on HIGH after you add the cornstarch mixture, because LOW isn't always hot enough to thicken it. If the sauce is still thin after 20 minutes, whisk up another small batch of cornstarch and water and stir it in.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for easy slow cooker recipes like this? Try these:
Slow Cooker Asian Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 lbs frozen fully cooked meatballs
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- sliced green onions for topping
- sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- Place the frozen meatballs in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, chili garlic sauce, and brown sugar.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and stir gently to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours or HIGH for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, stirring once or twice if possible.
- About 20 minutes before serving, whisk the cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes more, until the sauce is thick and glossy.
- Stir to coat the meatballs, then garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.
Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly is a nationally syndicated food and travel writer, founder of Seasonal Cravings, and co-founder of The Roam Report. She develops approachable seasonal recipes and covers travel and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets, including Yahoo, Taste of Home, Apple News, NBC, FOX, and other national and regional publications.
Tell Us What You Think